Defense Supply Center Richmond VA Hosts 3rd Annual Aviation AbilityOne Day

The Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) is hosting the 3rd Annual AbilityOne Day on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 in support of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The event will be held at the DSCR Conference Center in Richmond, Virginia, from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

DSCR has invited all nonprofit agencies (NPAs) that have the capability to manufacture or supply the following commodities:

• Aviation Engine Accessories
• Airframe Structural Components
• Aviation Hardware
• Metalwork Machinery
• Chain and Wire Rope
• Airborne Radar and Radio Equipment
• Electrical Insulators and Hardware
• Communication Cable, Cord and Wire Assemblies
• Electrical Wire and Power Distribution Equipment
• Instrumentation
• Chemicals and Packaged Petroleum Products

DSCR anticipates approximately 500 Acquisition Specialists, Technical Specialists, and Quality (Product) Specialists to attend the event. All DSCR employees and Heads of Tenant Activities will be notified about the event and encouraged to visit the NPA exhibits to identify opportunities to add items to the Procurement List.

About National Industries for the Blind
At National Industries for the Blind (NIB), it is our mission to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 89 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program, established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. For more information regarding how NIB and NIB associated agencies continue to provide opportunities to Americans who are blind, please visit: www.NIB.org

NIB at AbilityOne Day, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia Oct 13

2010 AbilityOne Day at DSCP to Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The 2010 AbilityOne Day at Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) to recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) will be held Wednesday, October 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the DSCP Building 6 Auditorium.

Learn more about National Disability Employment Awareness Month on the NIB AbilityOne blog. Statement by President Barack Obama. Statement by Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathy Martinez.

About the National Industries for the Blind
NIB’s (www.NIB.org), mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 89 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program. (Pictured left: SKILCRAFT logo and AbilityOne Program logo. SKILCRAFT slogan: Every Purchase Creates Jobs)

2010 NDEAM Message from Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez

(pictured: Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor)
Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity Includes People with Disabilities

America has been celebrating the contributions of workers with disabilities since creating a National Physical Disability Employment Awareness Week in 1945. Since then, our celebration has been expanded to a month and now emphasizes the contributions of people with all disabilities from all ethnic and racial groups.

It has always been important to celebrate the important contributions of workers with disabilities. But this year we have even more to celebrate, as President Obama is creating change that we can believe in for jobseekers and workers with disabilities. The President signed a landmark Executive Order on July 26 that calls on all Federal Government executive departments and agencies to create goals and action plans for increasing the numbers of people with disabilities hired and to improve retention and return to work of Federal employees with disabilities.

In addition, my office, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), has been working with DOL's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) on their recent issuance inviting input on how OFCCP can strengthen the affirmative action requirements of the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It proposes for the first time that federal contractors, who create 25% of the available jobs in America, would be held to benchmarks for hiring qualified workers with disabilities. Until now, it was enough for employers to make attempts to hire qualified workers with disabilities, even if their efforts never resulted in actual job offers.

At ODEP, we strongly that increasing employment for people with disabilities is contingent on increasing more accurate and positive portrayals of people with disabilities in the media. With that in mind, ODEP created two campaigns: Lights, Camera, Access! and the Campaign for Disability Employment.

Lights! Camera! Access! began with a "call to action and best practices" summit that initiated a groundbreaking dialogue between the U.S. Department of Labor and the entertainment and broadcast industries. Co-sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Summit brought together participants to explore strategies for improving images and increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities in front of and behind the camera. Lights! Camera! Access! is sponsoring events that promote NDEAM and lay the foundation to increase internship opportunities for college students with disabilities, starting in the summer of 2011.

Also developing interest in disability employment across the country are the public service announcements created by ODEP in conjunction with other national partners for the Campaign for Disability Employment. These announcements, called "What Can You Do?" highlight the contributions of several energetic employed workers with disabilities. The interest in these announcements has been so profound that TV stations have donated over $8 million of free air time to promote this important employment message to employers.

Georgia Industries for the Blind Celebrates NDEAM and Job Opportunities

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year's theme, created by the Department of Labor, is Expectation Plus Opportunity Equals Full Participation.

Georgia Industries for the Blind (GIB), is one of 88 agencies across the country that provides employment and personal economic opportunities for people who are blind. This October, they are promoting the Department of Labor's National Disability Employment Awareness month theme: Expectation Plus Opportunity Equals Full Participation.
See the full story in the Bainbridge Georgia News (BainbridgeGA.com)


It's important to remind people that their expectations lead to success. Expectations with "opportunities" create even greater successes. People who are blind or have other severe disabilities are extremely capable workers and good employees. In today's market place, all they really need are opportunities, and equal access employment opportunities.

National Industries for the Blind is an AbilityOne Program agency. NIB and its 88 associated agencies are the single largest employers of people who are blind in the country. Find out more at NIB.org.

Department of Defense to Honor Outstanding Contributions by Employees with Disabilities

The Secretary of Defense will recognize the superior contributions by Department of Defense (DoD) employees who are blind or have other disabilities. The Department will also honor DoD components with outstanding affirmative employment programs for people with disabilities. These recognitions are part of the DoD recognition of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

"I urge each of you to renew your commitment to the employment and advancement of Americans with disabilities," Gail McGinn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Plans), who is performing the duties of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) said in a September 30, 2009 statement.

Winners will be recognized on December 8, 2009 as a pre-conference event for the Perspectives on Employment of People with Disabilities Conference which begins December 9, 2009.

The Department of Defense is the largest customer of products and services produced by NIB and NISH and sold through AbilityOne and under the SKILCRAFT brand name.

AbilityOne Program on YouTube - National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The AbilityOne Program is the largest source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States.

More than 600 nonprofit organizations employ these individuals and provide quality goods and services to the federal government at a fair market price. The Program is administered by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, an independent federal agency, with assistance from National Industries for the Blind (NIB), and NISH-Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Severe Disabilities.

Learn how people in the AbilityOne Program, who are blind or have other severe disabilities, feel about the work they do and their contribution to the U.S. economy.



Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Share your stories and experiences here. Listen to and view more AbilityOne Program videos on the AbilityOne Program Channel on YouTube.

Click here for more information about AbilityOne, SKILCRAFT products and services; and Base Supply Center stores; or to order products through the AbilityOne Program.

“I Can” Public Service Announcement for the Office of

The Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy has produced a Public Service Announcement for the Campaign for Disability Employment’s What Can YOU Do? campaign.

This video celebrates the "can do" abilities of real people with disabilities and captures the message that is the main focus of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

View the video on this site or click here to view it on YouTube:

National Disability Employment AwarenessMonth (NDEAM)

October 2009 is National Disability Employment AwarenessMonth.

In an effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment, Congress designated October as National Disability Employment AwarenessMonth (NDEAM).

What is NDEAM all about. It's about educating and informing the world that people who are blind or have other severe disabilities are capable of participating in today's competitive economy.

DID YOUR KNOW:

• Employment is the key to economic security and personal independence of all Americans, especially those with disabilities.

• According to a national survey, 92 percent of consumers feel more favorably toward companies that hire individuals with disabilities.

• To stay competitive, both public and private employers must seek quality employees from non-traditional employee pools, including the 54million Americans who have disabilities.

• People who are blind or have other severe disabilities remain one of America’s greatest untapped labor resources, with more than 60 percent of this population not employed.

Learn more about AbilityOne online at www.abilityone.org or contact communications@nib.org.